Skip to main content
Advertising

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs' Release Week Seven Depth Chart: Rookies Getting Involved

With Calijah Kancey and SirVocea Dennis back from injuries and Payne Durham active for the first time, the Buccaneers got more contributions than ever out of their large rookie class in Week Six

kancey

Each week during the regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' communications department publishes a "Game Release" to aid the media in coverage of their upcoming game. Within that release are a number of documents regarding the player roster, including a depth chart, which lists the pecking order at every position on offense, defense and special teams.

Each game week, we will be taking a closer look at that depth chart, pointing out any changes or relevant notes from the previous game. Let's start on offense. Rookies are marked with an asterisk. Players we will be discussing in depth are highlighted in bold text.

OFFENSE

  • WR: Mike Evans, Trey Palmer*, Rakim Jarrett *
  • WR: Chris Godwin, Deven Thompkins
  • LT: Tristan Wirfs, Justin Skule
  • LG: Matt Feiler, Aaron Stinnie
  • C: Robert Hainsey
  • RG: Cody Mauch *, Nick Leverett
  • RT: Luke Goedeke, Brandon Walton
  • TE: Cade Otton, David Wells
  • TE: Ko Kieft, Payne Durham*
  • QB: Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask
  • RB: Rachaad White, Sean Tucker *, Ke'Shawn Vaughn

View the top photos of Tampa Bay's Week 6 matchup vs. the Detroit Lions.

The Buccaneers did not make any official changes to their depth chart in Week Seven, but there are some developing trends in terms of playing time. A good number of them involved rookies, as the Buccaneers had 13 NFL newcomers among their 48 active players against Detroit on Sunday, 12 of whom got into the game.

That included tight end Payne Durham, who had been inactive for each of the Bucs' first four games. Against the Lions, the Buccaneers made a switch at their third tight end spot, activating Durham and placing David Wells on the inactive list. The Bucs still started the game with tight ends Cade Otton and Ko Kieft on the field, and Otton played all but two of the team's offensive snaps. But Durham saw some action in the first quarter and logged six snaps, one of which resulted in his first NFL reception, an eight-yarder.

For the second game in a row, fourth-year back Ke'Shawn Vaughn was the primary backup to Rachaad White, recording 12 snaps, on which he got six carries for nine yards and was also targeted twice in the passing game. Rookie back Sean Tucker played on special teams but did not get in the game on offense.

Rookie wideout Trey Palmer continues to emerge as the Bucs' primary third receiver behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Palmer was on the field for 37 of the team's 56 offensive plays, more than double the 14 snaps that second-year man Deven Thompkins got. Palmer was also targeted seven times compared to two for Thompkins. That actually resulted in two receptions for each receiver, though Palmer's two went for 47 yards while Thompkins' two went for -2 yards.

DEFENSE

  • DL: Calijah Kancey*, Mike Greene
  • NT: Vita Vea, Greg Gaines
  • DL: Logan Hall, William Gholston, Patrick O'Connor
  • OLB: Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Yaya Diaby*, Markees Watts *
  • ILB: Devin White, K.J. Britt
  • ILB: Lavonte David, SirVocea Dennis*
  • OLB: Shaquil Barrett, Anthony Nelson, Cam Gill
  • CB: Jamel DeanZyon McCollum, Derrek Pitts *
  • CB: Carlton Davis, Dee Delaney, Josh Hayes *
  • S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Kaevon Merriweather *
  • S: Ryan Neal, Christian Izien *

Rookie first-rounder returned to action against Detroit after missing three games and was good for 40 of a possible 70 defensive snaps, or 57% of the total. He was productive with those snaps, recording three tackles, his first NFL sack, two QB hits and six pressures. Fellow 2023 draftee linebacker SirVocea Dennis also got back into the mix after missing three games with a hamstring injury. He didn't play on defense but had 21 snaps on special teams.

With Anthony Nelson sidelined by a concussion, both rookie Yaya Diaby and second-year man Cam Gill moved up a spot in the edge rusher rotation. Diaby drew 30 snaps and contributed three tackles; Gill got 16 plays and also had three stops.

The Bucs had both Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean available for the first time since Week One and both cornerbacks played all 70 defensive snaps. Second-year corner Zyon McCollum, who played well while subbing for either Davis or Dean the past three games, did get on the field for two plays and made a tackle on one of them.

SPECIALISTS

  • P: Jake Camarda
  • PK: Chase McLaughlin
  • KO: Jake Camarda
  • H: Jake Camarda
  • LS: Zach Triner
  • PR: Deven Thompkins, Trey Palmer *
  • KR: Deven Thompkins, Rachaad White

The Buccaneers had 25 special teams plays against the Lions, and five players formed the core of those efforts by playing 21 of them: Gill, McCollum, Dennis, linebacker K.J. Britt and rookie cornerback Josh Hayes. Britt had a big game, recording three special teams tackles, and he has six kick-coverage stops in the Bucs' last three games.

The only three players to log double-digits snaps on special teams and either offense or defense were Kieft, Gill and rookie safety Christian Izien.

Related Content

Latest Headlines

Advertising